Mayor Dan Kemp looks through some papers during Thursday's meeting/photo by Adam May

            THE HOPKINSVILLE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WENT FORTH WITH THE DOWNTOWN MUNICPAL BUILDING PROJECT TONIGHT, BUT NOT WITHOUT SOME SPIRITED DEBATE.

            PROJECT MANAGER RICHARD MITCHELL, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR STEVE BOURNE AND FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ROBERT MARTIN GAVE REPORTS ON THEIR CAPACITIES IN THE MATTER.

            BOURNE WAS GIVEN THE UNENVIABLE TASK OF TELLING COUNCIL THE PROJECT WILL LIKELY COST AT LEAST 1 MILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN HAD BEEN PROPOSED.

            THE NEW FIGURES SHOW THE TOTAL COST OF REPLACING THE OLD DOWNTOWN PLANTERS BANK BUILDING WITH CITY HALL INCLUDING A BASEMENT PLUS TEARING DOWN THE METCALFE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET IN ADDITION TO RENNOVATING THE LACKEY BUILDING INTO A POLICE STATION WOULD NOW COME IN AT JUST OVER 10 MILLION DOLLARS.

            WITHOUT THE BASEMENT AND METCALFE PARKING PROJECT—IT WOULD BE JUST OVER 9.2 MILLION DOLLARS.

            THE COMMITTEE DEBATED WHETHER THEY HAD LOST FOCUS OF THEIR ORIGINAL INTENTION OF HAVING A NEW POLICE STATION, BUT ULTIMATELY VOTED 8 TO 3 IN FAVOR OF SENDING A BONDING ORDINANCE THE FIRST SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PROJECT TO CITY COUNCIL.

            COUNCIL MEMBERS ANN CHERRY, CHARLIE HENDERSON AND PAUL HENSON VOTED “NO.” KIMBERLY MCCARLEY WAS ABSENT.

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11/17/2011/AM

            IT WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR THE CHRISTIAN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TONIGHT.

            THE SCHOOL BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED TO RELOCATE THE DISTRICT’S ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL PROGRAMS INTO THE OLD CHRISTIAN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

            DIRECTOR OF PUPIL PERSONNEL, KATHY HANCOCK SPOKE ABOUT WHAT PROGRAMS WILL BE RELOCATED FROM THE STADIUM OF CHAMPIONS TO THE OLD CHRISTIAN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

            IN OTHER BUSINESS, THE ARCHITECT FOR THE NEW CHRISTIAN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, KEITH SHARP, SAYS FINISHING TOUCHES ARE BEING MADE TO THE NEW SCHOOL.

            ACCORDING TO SHARP, CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW CHRISTIAN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL BE COMPLETED BY JANUARY 1^ST.

            THE SCHOOL BOARD APPOINTED BOARD CHAIRMAN BARRY CORNELIUS TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE AND THEN WENT INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS PENDING LITIGATION.

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(11/18/2011/MF)

            A VIDEO PRODUCED BY STUDENTS AT HOPKINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL IS IN THE RUNNING FOR A NATIONAL AWARD.

            A NEWS RELEASE SAYS THE CONTEST IS TITLED “GIVE YOURSELF SOME CREDIT” AND THAT A GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM KELLY SCHEUHER’S MONEY SKILLS CLASS HAS QUALIFIED AS A TOP FIVE FINALIST.

            LORI ANN FORBES, DEE KILLABREW, CRYSTAL KILLABREW, ALEX DOSS AND DARREL OATES HAVE ALREADY EARNED THEIR CLASS A FLIP VIDEO CAMERA AND 500 DOLLARS CASH, BUT COULD WIN 1,500 DOLLARS CASH AND A PAID TRIP TO TUSCON, ARIZONA FOR THEIR TEACHER.

            THE PUBLIC CAN VOTE FOR THE VIDEO, TITLED “BORROWED LUNCH MONEY” THROUGH FRIDAY,WITH THE WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO AND VOTE.

11/16/2011/AM

            THREE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS QUICKY DOUSED A SPREADING FIELD FIRE JUST NORTH OF HOPKINSVILLE THIS AFTERNOON.

            THE CALL WENT OUT CLOSE TO 1:30 FOR A FIELD FIRE AT THE DEAD END OF MORGAN LANE—WHICH IS ABOUT A HALF MILE WEST OF MADISONVILLE ROAD OFF THE MOUNT ZOAR-LATHAM ROAD.

            ABOUT TWO ACRES BURNED, BUT CHRISTIAN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR RANDY GRAHAM SAID THE FIRE-FIGHTERS FROM WEST SIDE, HIGHLAND AND LACY DID A GOOD JOB OF PUTTING THE BLAZE OUT QUICKLY.

            THE WINDS WEREN’T AS STRONG AS THEY WERE EARLIER IN THE WEEK WHEN CREWS REMAINED BUSY WITH NUMEROUS FIRES. THE RECENT RAINFALL ALSO KEPT THE FIRE FROM SPREADING AS QUICKLY, AS WELL.

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11/17/2011/AM

Gonzalez

            A HOPKINSVILLE MAN IS CHARGED AGAIN WITH INDECENT EXPOSURE.

            ACCORDING TO CLARKSVILLE POLICE, 58-YEAR OLD GREGORIO GONZALEZ JR OF 48-70 MADISONVILLE ROAD, HOPKINSVILLE ENTERED A WILMA RUDOLPH BUSINESS THIS MORNING AND WAS CAUGHT INSIDE THE STORE INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHING HIMSELF.

            GONZALEZ IS ON THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY IN KENTUCKY AND

WAS BOOKED INTO THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY JAIL AND IS CHARGED WITH INDECENT EXPOSURE AND WAS SERVED WITH A WARRANT ASSOCIATED A PREVIOUS INDECENT EXPOSURE CHARGE.

A PREVIOUS INDECENT EXPOSURE WARRANT WAS SERVED WHEN HE WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL.

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11/17/2011/MF